Tom Ford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tom Ford
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Ford in 2009
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Thomas Carlyle Ford
August 27, 1961 Austin, Texas, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Parsons School of Design |
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Richard Buckley
(m. 2014; died 2021) |
| Children | 1 |
Thomas Carlyle Ford (born August 27, 1961) is a famous American fashion designer and filmmaker. He started his own fashion brand, Tom Ford, in 2005. Before that, he was the main designer for big fashion houses like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. Tom Ford also wrote and directed two movies: A Single Man (2009) and Nocturnal Animals (2016). From 2019 to 2022, he led the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas Carlyle Ford was born on August 27, 1961, in Austin, Texas. His parents, Shirley and Thomas, were realtors. He spent his early years in the suburbs of Houston and in San Marcos. Even at age 6, he enjoyed moving furniture and giving his mom advice on her style.
When he was 11, his family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He went to St. Michael's High School and later Santa Fe Preparatory School, graduating in 1979.
At 16, he briefly attended Bard College at Simon's Rock. Then he moved to New York City to study art history at New York University (NYU). He soon left NYU to try acting in TV commercials.
Ford later studied interior design at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City. During this time, he visited a famous club called Studio 54. The club's glamorous style from the disco era greatly influenced his future designs. Before his last year at Parsons, he spent 18 months in Paris. He worked as an intern at the fashion house Chloé, which sparked his interest in fashion. He spent his final year studying fashion, but he actually graduated with a degree in architecture.
Fashion Career
Starting in Fashion
After college, Tom Ford wanted to work in fashion. He called American designer Cathy Hardwick every day for a month to get a job. Even though he didn't have much fashion experience, Hardwick was impressed by his determination. She hired him as a design assistant, and he worked there for two years.
In 1988, Ford joined Perry Ellis. He worked there for two years but felt American fashion was holding him back. He believed he needed to go to Europe to become a great designer.
Leading Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent
In 1990, Ford moved to Milan to work for the Italian fashion house Gucci. At the time, Gucci was having financial problems. Ford was hired as the chief designer for women's clothing. His role quickly grew, and he soon designed menswear and shoes too. By 1992, he was in charge of design for many of Gucci's products, including clothes, fragrances, and advertising.
In 1994, Tom Ford became the Creative Director of Gucci. He quickly changed the brand's look, making it more modern and stylish. He also brought in new people to create fresh ad campaigns. Between 1995 and 1996, Gucci's sales jumped by 90%. By 1999, Gucci, which was struggling when Ford joined, was worth over $4 billion.
When Gucci bought Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) in 1999, Ford also became the Creative Director for YSL. He helped bring this classic fashion house back into the spotlight. He won many awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America during his time at YSL.
In 2004, Ford left the Gucci group. He had put a lot of effort into the company for 15 years. When he left, Gucci Group was valued at $10 billion.
Starting His Own Brand
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After leaving Gucci, Tom Ford started his own brand in 2006, named after himself. His brand sells menswear, beauty products, eyewear, and accessories. He describes his customers as people who are well-traveled, cultured, and have money to spend. For women, he adds that they are "strong women" who know their own style.
Many famous people have worn Tom Ford's designs. Michelle Obama, the former First Lady, wore one of his gowns in 2011. He has also dressed stars like Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Daniel Craig, and Tom Hanks. Daniel Craig wore Tom Ford suits in his last four James Bond movies.
In 2013, the singer Justin Timberlake mentioned Tom Ford in his song "Suit & Tie". Ford even designed the suits for the song's music video and for Timberlake's world tour. Later that year, Jay-Z released a song simply called "Tom Ford". Ford was very happy about this, saying it showed his impact on popular culture. After the song came out, online searches for "Tom Ford" greatly increased.
In 2022, the Tom Ford brand was bought by The Estée Lauder Companies for $2.8 billion. In April 2023, Tom Ford stepped down as the brand's creative director.
Film Career
A Single Man
In 2005, Tom Ford started his own film company, Fade to Black. In 2009, he directed his first movie, A Single Man. The film is based on a book and stars Colin Firth as a college professor. Julianne Moore and Nicholas Hoult also star in the movie. Ford helped write the script and was one of the producers.
A Single Man first showed at the 66th Venice International Film Festival in September 2009. It was nominated for the top award, the Golden Lion. Colin Firth won an award for Best Actor for his role. The film also won the AFI Film of the Year award.
Nocturnal Animals
In 2015, Ford directed his second film, Nocturnal Animals, which came out in 2016. It is based on the novel Tony and Susan. The main roles were played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams.
Critics praised the film, and it won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. Many people thought the movie was well-acted and visually stunning.
Personal Life
Tom Ford married Richard Buckley in 2014. Richard was a journalist and editor. They had been together since 1986. They have a son, who was born in September 2012. The family lived in Italy and London for many years. They also have homes in New York, Los Angeles, and Santa Fe. Ford and Buckley owned smooth fox terriers, which even appeared in Ford's film A Single Man.
Richard Buckley passed away on September 19, 2021, at age 72 after a long illness.
In 2024, Tom Ford bought a mansion in London for a large sum of money. He also owns other valuable properties, including an estate once owned by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Politics
Tom Ford is a member of the Democratic Party. He did not agree with the United States' invasion of Iraq in 2003. He has hosted fundraisers for political figures like Barack Obama. He voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US general election.
Ford supports same-sex marriage. He believes that designers should feel free to create without too many rules. He has said that "Cancel culture" can make it harder for designers to be creative.
Awards and Recognition
Tom Ford has received many awards from important design and cultural groups around the world.
- 1995: International Award – Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
- 1999: Style Icon Award – Elle Style Awards UK
- 2000: Best International Designer – VH1/Vogue Awards
- 2001: Womenswear Designer of the Year – CFDA
- 2001: Best Fashion Designer – Time Magazine
- 2003: Fashion Design Achievement Award – Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum's National Design Awards
- 2004: Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award
- 2007: GLAAD Media Awards – Vito Russo Award
- 2008: Menswear Designer of the Year – CFDA
- 2009: Venice Film Festival – Queer Lion for A Single Man
- 2010: GLAAD Media Awards – Outstanding Film Wide Release for A Single Man
- 2014: Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award – CFDA
- 2015: Menswear Designer of the Year – CFDA
- 2016: Venice Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize for Nocturnal Animals
- 2016: Satellite Auteur Award
Filmography
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer |
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| 2009 | A Single Man | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2016 | Nocturnal Animals | Yes | Yes | Yes |
